In this review, I’m checking out the Haylou MoriPods TWS earbuds. The MoriPods come with Qualcomm’s aptX Adaptive support and are priced at US$30.

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Disclaimer: This sample was provided for the purpose of an honest review. All observations and opinions here are my own based on my experience with the product.

Haylou MoriPods

Specifications

• Color: Blue, White, Black, Pink
• Weight: 3.9g
• Wireless connection: Bluetooth 5.2
• Transmission range: 10 meters (open area without obstacle)
• Charging port: Type-C
• Battery life: Approx. 24 hours (including charging case)
• Single earphone battery capacity: 35mAh
• Charging case battery capacity: 310mAh
• Charging case charging time: Approx. 2 hours
• Support protocol: SBC, AAC, A2DP, HFP, aptX Adaptive, AVRCP, HSP
• Package Included: 1 x Haylou MoriPods TWS Bluetooth Earbuds, 1 x Charging Box, 1 x Manual

Packaging & Accessories

The packaging is basic but it does the job. It’s a small white box with an image of the chase and earbuds on the front and a list of specifications on the back. Inside the box, we find the Haylou MoriPods earbuds, the charging case, a USB Type-C charging cable and a user manual.

Design

It goes without saying that the MoriPods are at least in part inspired by the Apple Airpods. But hey, if it works, go with it right? The fit is easy and fairly secure, and there’s no need to worry about finding eartips that fit. The driver unit is enclosed in a bulb at the top of a stem.

The stem contains the battery, in-built microphones and touch controls. Touch controls are fairly standard: 1 touch for play/pause, double-tap for next track etc. I found the controls to be responsive and they work well overall.

It’s great to see an IPX4 rating for the MoriPods too. That means they’re fine in moderate rainfall or if you’re sweating it out in the gym.

Charging Case

The charging case is small and easily fits in any pocket. While the sides of the case are curved, the top and bottom edges have a straight edge. The lid is spring-loaded and easy to open using one hand. And the earbuds snap magnetically into the case, making them secure and preventing them from falling out unexpectedly. There’s a USB Type-C port on the bottom of the case for charging.

Battery Life

Battery life is one area where the MoriPods look particularly ordinary. The earpieces get only 4 hours from a full charge which is below modern standards for earbuds without ANC (Active Noise Cancellation). But you still get another 4 full charges from the case giving the MoriPods a total of about 24 hours of playback time.

Bluetooth and Call Quality

Equipped with the latest Bluetooth 5.2, the MoriPods paired quickly and easily with my iPhone and DAPs. Signal strength is average with a total working distance of about 10 meters. During my testing, I did not experience any stuttering or signal drops.

When it comes to call quality, the MoriPods fared reasonably well considering the low price. The dual microphones pick up your voice clearly although it does sound pretty thin on the other end. It’s far from the best mic quality out there but is more than good enough for basic call functionality.

Sound

The Haylou MoriPods have a sound that is slightly on the warmer side of neutral. Clarity and detail retrieval are surprisingly good, without needing a shouty upper midrange boost (there is a slight boost though).

The bass is fairly punchy, especially for this type of open earbud. It’s reasonably quick and there’s no excessive boom or thickness. There’s little in the way of sub-bass rumble but the rest of the bass sounds pretty natural.

Clarity in the midrange is good thanks to an upper midrange lift that adds presence and vibrance. Pianos and flutes in particular sound very forward but not uncomfortably so. Vocals are articulate and full-bodied and the instrument tone is fairly accurate.

The treble is crisp but non-fatiguing. It enables good detail retrieval without being harsh or sibilant. Most of the energy is in the lower treble but the sound is still quite airy and open. It produces a slightly bright sound but one that doesn’t offend.

Conclusion

The Haylou MoriPods offer an unexpectedly good sound for an inexpensive earbud. It’s one of the better budget Airpods-style earbud. Although the battery life is not great, it’s not really that bad either and the call quality is decent too. Overall, this one is pretty good value.